LET IT BE KNOWN: AN INSTITUTIONAL DESIGNATION PROCEDUREMaking it Easier For Students to Identify Academic Service Learning Courses

Before There is Course Designation . . .There Needs to be Strong Support for

Academic Service Learning

Support Needs To Be Bottom Up & Top Down Widespread

The Goal is a Campus-Wide Buy-InThe Process is Usually Incremental

Building Support at  Northern Michigan University

 FacultyMoving From a Departmental to a Campus-Wide

Initiative• Administrative Structure• Focus Groups/Support Required• Faculty “Champions”• Programming– Services– Workshops– “Road Shows”– Mini Grants

Building Support at Northern Michigan University

 Administrative Administrative “Champions”

Provost Dean

Campus Compact Visits “Positives” for the University are not

hard to find

Benefits of Designating Coursesas Academic Service Learning

Students Faculty Institutional Research Marketing and Public Relations

Benefits for Students Assists in course scheduling because of

differential workload required in ASL class

Allows students to avoid ASL classes because of workload or learning style issues

Allows students to choose a style of teaching/learning

Benefits for Students Allows students to experience their

discipline in a way which helps clarify what the individual could be getting into

Identifies opportunities to attain hours toward certificate programs such as Superior Edge

All courses will be ASL designated on the transcript

Benefits for Faculty Encourages ‘engaged’ students to

enroll in faculty member’s ASL course

Generates outcomes which constitute a public ‘good’ by supporting community or non-profit entities

Benefits for Faculty Provides support to faculty

members in promotion and tenure cases

Encourages faculty to revisit their traditional classes because real life applications reinforce class based material which permits more in-depth learning

Benefits for Institutional Research

Allows easy tracking of the number of students involved in academic service learning classes

Allows easy tracking of the numbers of hours being devoted by students in outreach & community service

Allows easy tracking of the range of academic programs and departments offering ASL classes

Benefits for Institutional Research Provides documentable support as to

how the university is accomplishing its public service mission

Provides documentable ‘evidence’ to employers about real-life involvement of students in their learning

Provides metrics for accreditation and program review

Benefits for Marketing and Public Relations

Provides ‘feel good’ material about the institution

Provides excellent marketing material which appeals to parents and potential students about the active hands-on, teaching/learning taking place

Benefits for Marketing and Public Relations

Provides excellent public relations material about the values of the institution and how it fulfills its civic responsibilities to the greater community

Provides concrete examples to potential donors about the good things that their contributions will produce

Definition and Criteria Created by the ASL Advisory Board

and approved by Academic Senate

The documents for the Course Designation Form and Action Grant Application are based on this definition and criteria

Definition and Criteria Academic Service Learning is a

course-based, credit-bearing educational experience in which students: Participate in an organized service activity

that meets identified community needs; Reflect on the service activity is such a way

as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of both personal values and civic responsibility.

Definition and Criteria Teaching Methodology Criteria:

Academic Service Learning courses must include the following five common syllabus elements: Community partners or agencies must

be involved in the planning of the service projects

Service projects must have clearly conceptualized connection between course objective and service activities

Definition and Criteria Service projects must enrich the

learning experience All parties involved in the service

projects must benefit There must be time built into the

syllabus for formal active reflection.

Meeting with Stakeholders to Establish Course Designation ProcessAcademic Service Learning Advisory

Board:

The whole process began with meeting of the ASL Advisory Board itself to discuss the need for a course designation protocol

Existing climate on campus to support ASL Activity

Academic Service Learning Advisory Board

Meeting with the Chair of the Faculty Review Committee to make sure that departmental bylaws included provisions for recognizing ASL activity as valid tenure-earning work Related to Boyer’s Four Forms of

Scholarship: Scholarship of Discovery: Generation of New

Knowledge Scholarship of Integration: Interdisciplinary

Perspective Scholarship of Application: Bringing

Professional Knowledge to Problem Solving Scholarship of Teaching: The Teaching/Learning

Process

Academic Service Learning Advisory Board

Meeting with America Association of University Professors (AAUP)

Meeting with the Registrar to discuss designation procedure

Meeting to discuss the Senate sub-committee proposals

Academic Service Learning Coordinators

Meeting with various departments across campus to discuss campus activity and encourage support

Meeting with Deans and Department Heads

Meeting with Provost and President

Academic Service Learning Coordinators

Introducing the Course Designation Project to the Faculty Senate

Establishing a Senate Sub-Committee to outline a procedure and address contract issues and concerns Creating an application process for course designation Creating a review process for each application

“The faculty owns the curriculum.” Creating a renewal process for registration

Senate approval

Academic Service LearningCourse Designation Implementation

Course Designation variety Professor/Course Course Curriculum Renewal Form Does not apply to all courses

Academic Service LearningCourse Designation Implementation

Course Designation process Faculty Department Heads ASL Advisory Board Registrar’s Office

Academic Service LearningCourse Designation Implementation

Academic Service LearningCourse Designation Implementation

ASL Advisory Board Approval is based on the teaching criteria of: Community Partner Involvement Connection between Course Objectives and

Service Enrichment of Learning Experiences Benefits

StudentsFacultyCommunity Partner

Reflection

Academic Service LearningCourse Designation Implementation

First Semester with Course Designation 21 Academic Service Learning

Courses• Speech & Language • Nursing• Broadcasting• French• Public Relations• English• Health, Physical Education & Recreation

The Future of Academic Service Learning

GOAL: To have every academic service learning course designated

Academic Department Meetings Building the procedure Selling the principles

ASL identified as a Course Characteristic(Humanities, Liberal Studies, etc. )

Academic Service Learning Course Designation

To Contact Us: Dave Bonsall – dbonsall@nmu.edu Paul Duby – pduby@nmu.edu Charles Ganzert – cganzert@nmu.edu Katy Morrison – mamorris@nmu.edu